Christmas in Branson

My parents blessed us with a Christmas trip to Branson.

Branson proudly proclaims the real reason for the season at every corner.

We heard, saw, and experienced the amazing Christmas story like never before.

However, it was REALLY cold.

Here we are at the entrance to Silver Dollar City.

This was the warmest part of the day! Doesn't everyone ride a roller coaster when it is 27 degrees?

Fire in the Hole....
We experienced the daily lighting of the enormous Christmas tree.
It was absolutely beautiful!

By this point in the evening, I had lost ALL feeling in my toesies!

A little frost bite for a day full of memories......I will take it!

Thanks again mom and dad!

Homemade Christmas 5-Gifts for the Birds

I wanted A and O to experience making thoughtful gifts for those that they love.

Our family LOVES to feed the birds.

So, I decided to help them make pinecone bird treats.

I knew that I could find pinecones for free, but I didn't have any idea where to look on such short notice.

I ended up buying 2 packages of 3 at the Dollar Tree for $2.00.

I purchased the bird seed at a local farm store for less than $2.00, and I had a lot left over!

We started by spreading peanut butter over the pinecone.

We then rolled them in bird seed, and I tied a ribbon on each one for hanging.

(I would however advise to tie the ribbon before spreading the peanut butter. Live and learn...right?)

We then placed them in a clear bag, and gave them to our aunts and grandmas.

I think that they are quite beautiful, and I am pretty sure that the birdies will appreciate this winter treat!

The H Family Christmas

I have previously mentioned how my children have been blessed with great Christian role models.

Well, here they are......It has been over 4 years since we have taken an extended family photo.

We have loved ones who have chosen to distance themselves, and every year it has just been hard to say..."here is our family".

This year, we decided that it was time to take a current photo.

However, we are all vastly aware that there are important pieces missing!

We are still praying and believing for that Christmas miracle!

If you know these children, then you are aware that this is why they are so spoiled rotten!
It has absolutely nothing to do with their parents!

Boy has this family changed since I met them 13+ years ago!

J, K, S, and J....if you are reading this, we miss you, but respect your wishes/desires!

Christmas Letter

Every now and then, I feel like a good Christian parent. Tonight is one of those nights!

Here is A's letter to Santa:We had the "Santa" talk this year.

However, he still decided to believe or should I say, "play along".
I am so glad that he loves the rele resen bedr!

At the Feet of Baby Jesus

Yesterday, I stepped out my front door to get the mail, and I quickly spotted this dollar bill resting in my flower bed.

Woo Hoo!

You see....we live at the bottom of a quiet cul-de-sac. We haven't seen a visitor in weeks.

Then, I realized exactly where it was placed on the wet ground.

At the feet of Baby Jesus!

So many lessons and symbolization

I painted this small nativity a year after Scott and I were married. I often think about painting them white, but I just haven't been able to. When I look at this nativity, I am reminded of the young, lonely, homesick, over-whelmed young wife who was just trying to make the best out of VERY LITTLE!

What are you laying at the feet of Jesus this year?

Reindeer Food

My sweet friend, Cheryl, gave O one of these bags of reindeer food yesterday. She (and all the kiddos) loved it!

This is an inexpensive, creative, homemade way to spread Christmas cheer!

I LOVE it!

Cheryl sent me this photo, recipe, and poem to share.Add green and red food coloring to sugar and whisk until the clumps are gone.

Layer in piping bags.

1 tsp red sugar

1 tsp green sugar

1/3 cup oats

1/2 cup of bird seed (black sunflower seeds)

Poem:

Sprinkle this reindeer food outside tonight.

The moonlight will make it sparkle bright.

As the reindeer fly and roam,

This will guide them to your home.

So simple and fun to do with your kiddos!

Thanks Cheryl!

Christmas Cheer? Or the Joy of Having a Mother Who Takes Your Photo ALL of the Time?

These photos were taken hours of each other, and they make me laugh!A at his church Christmas program.

He learned the meaning of commitment!

I don't know if he will ever "commit" to anything again.

Merry Christmas!
What face are you wearing today? Is it one of joy?

The Pieced Together Nativity

My grandmother has a beautiful, hand-painted Nativity that I have admired my entire life.
When A was born, I set out on a hunt to find a similar one.

Believe it or not, I found this one at a garage sale for $1.00 that very summer.

I finished painting the pieces (with the exception of the camels).

This year, I visited a local pottery store in hopes of finding a stable.

The only stable was $57.

That didn't fit into our budget!

Today, I visited one of my favorite thrift stores and found this one for $7.00. I want to add a few extra touches before next year, but what a blessing!

Perfect....Maybe, I will get around to finishing the camels next year!

Wooden Blocks

This summer, I bought this box full of 2x2 inch wooden blocks at a garage sale for $2.00.I didn't know what I was going to do with them until I read this blog!

I used one of my favorite things...black spray paint. I ordered black and white wallets of some of my favorite photos from 2009 and decoupaged them onto the blocks. I added some fun paper and a little twine.

I don't think that these will get packed away with all the Christmas decorations.

I can see them hanging from a shelf or hook.

Seriously....aren't they just too sweet!

Well, don't let the photos fool you!

It is really starting to feel like Christmas in our home!
What is your idea of a perfect Christmas photo?

Homemade Christmas 4

I just have to share what A brought home yesterday!

His teacher made him this ADORABLE stick horse ornament.

This is our newest Christmas treasure!

It will be found on our "perfect" Christmas tree for years to come.
I think that he was almost as excited about it as his crazy mother.
I am pretty sure that hundreds of children have these hanging on their trees reminding them of their wonderful kindergarten teacher.
Love it!

Homemade Christmas....Our Day at the Mill

I have been busy today finishing up a few of my Christmas gifts.

This summer, my family spent the day at a local mill.

It was so much fun, and I took some photos.

I decided to make a scrapbook of the day for my grandma and grandpa.

It isn't real fancy, but I know that they will treasure it.

Here are a few of the photos that are in this book!
My Parents, Grandparents, and kiddos

My dad is explaining how the mill works to A. I am pretty confident that he understood every word!

This was a "perfect" day!

I hope to have many more just like it!
So...that is one of the Christmas gifts that we will be giving this year!

Homemade Christmas 3

I have heard countless stories of individuals stressing about buying Christmas this year.

I think that we all need to take a closer look at our traditions and the priority that we put on gifts and gift-giving.

How can we make what we can afford look like more?

Here are just a few suggestions:

-photos....everyone LOVES photos

-create a scrapbook of a special day, adventure, the year in review....

-write a letter of thanks and appreciation

-create a "coupon" book that consists of simple things that are free yet special to the individual that they are created for

-let your kiddo paint his room the color of his choice

-ornament

-give something that is full of family history

-board games

-Homemade goodies

-Make a scarf, blanket, shelf....

-Create a "Make Your Own Snowman" kit or a science kit for all of those young scientists

Give the gift of TIME!

How are you making your dollars stretch this year?

What are you making, creating, writing?

I would love to know!

We can all choose to celebrate the greatest gift of all...the birth of the Savior!

Homemade Christmas-2

I love homemade ornaments.

So, I decided to share a few of mine with you.

I made these ornaments with $.25 wooden shapes from Michaels. I just used left-over twine and buttons to dress them up a little.

My friend, Nancy, makes her loved ones cross-stitched ornaments each year. Here are a few that she just finished. I love them. Maybe one day....I will get one. (hint, hint)A student gave me this adorable Santa starfish ornament. It is one of my favorites!

I think that I will make a few of these with A next year!

I can see angels and snowmen too!

Every year, I make a heart ornament which has developed into quite a collection. A few people have the entire set, and a number of people have a few. I try to make each one a little different. I made the first one in 2001 after 9-11. I was in need of a few "thoughtful" gifts in 2002, and the snowmen ornaments were born.
I haven't started on this year's ornament, but it must have a snow-puppy.

Do you make/buy ornaments each year?

Update- Dollars to Disney

I haven't updated in a while because we are trying to finish out our yearly family budget in the "black". So. I haven't been paying great attention to the amount of my "savings".

However, I do have to share a blessing. We budgeted $200 for the remainder of our children's Christmas. We planned to spend $150 of that on a Nintendo DS and game. A really wanted Mario Brothers, but that just didn't fit into the $150. Scott started watching Craig's list, and he found a DS in a box with the Mario game for $90. WooHoo! Sounds like Disney money to me!

Savings: $60

Coupons: $15

Script: $1.48

Photo Money: $30

Total saved: $106.48

The Best Job E-V-E-R!

This evening we decided to decorate gingerbread houses.

I just hot glued graham crackers together to form the houses.

We used left-over candy from our candy jar.

After laying all of the candy out on the counter, O proclaimed, "This is the best job ever!"

I wonder if she can make a living decorating gingerbread houses.

She is definitely the girl for the job!Decisions....decisions.....
Daddy enjoyed controlling the icing!
Yep...this is the BEST!

This is by far one of my favorite holiday traditions.
Pretty inexpensive too....

Homemade Christmas- 1

As I was thinking about a "homemade" Christmas, I remembered my friend, Nancy, telling me several years ago about her favorite Christmas gift.

It was a gift made by her dear, creative sister.

She had taken Nancy's favorite scripture verse and made it into a piece of art.

Nancy sent me this photo of the gift that she received 4 years ago. It now has a place of honor on her mantle.

Nancy told me that this homemade gift is one of her greatest treasures.

You see....Nancy's sister is Karen. Read more about Karen here.

There isn't an expensive, store-bought gift that could ever measure up to this "homemade" gift.

I encourage you to make a gift or write a letter this Christmas.

It will save you money, and leave a memory!
Thanks Nancy for letting me share your treasure!

Ornaments

I am VERY sentimental.

So, it goes without saying that every ornament on my tree has a story and reminds me of someone special.

I have handmade ornaments that I treasure. I treasure the ornament that my grandmother bought for me my first Christmas, and the countless others given to me by those that I love.

My favorite part of Christmas is opening the ornament box and sharing the treasured memories with my children.

Years ago while working in a preschool, I would send the children home with ornaments made by their little hands. I would often think to myself....their trees must look REALLY tacky. I didn't think that I would ever be able to let such tacky ornaments touch my tree.

Boy how things change....

Here is a glimpse of just a few of my favorite ornaments created by the precious little hands in my life. They are priceless and true treasures to this momma.
I have no idea what happened to the gingerbread man's other eye, but it makes him all the more adorable.
What is a tree without a few miniature hand prints?
And yes....my tree is perfect and not at all tacky!

What treasures are hanging on your Christmas tree?